nuptial tubercles in carpsuckers (carpiodes)

Nuptial Tubercles in Carpsuckers (Carpiodes)Author(s): Gene R. HuntsmanSource: Copeia, Vol. 1967, No. 2 (Jun. 5, 1967), pp. 457-458Published by: American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists (ASIH)Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1442136 .

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ICHTHYOLOGICAL NOTES ICHTHYOLOGICAL NOTES

BERTIN, L. AND R. ESTEVE. 1948. Catalogue des types de poissons du Museum National d'His- toire Naturelle. Bull. Mus. Nat. Hist. Nat. 4:1-117.

CUVIER, G. AND A. VALENCIENNES. 1844. His- toire naturelle des poissons. Vol. 17. Bertrand, Paris.

GUNTHER, A. C. L. G. 1868. Catalogue of the Physostomi. Catalogue of the fishes in the British Museum. Vol. 7. Taylor and Francis, London.

HUBBS, C. L. 1930. Materials for a revision of the catostomid fishes of eastern North Amer- ica. Misc. Pub. Mus. Zool., Univ. Mich. No. 20, 47 pp.

AND K. F. LAGLER. 1958. Fishes of the Great Lakes region. Rev. ed. Cranbrook Inst. Sci., Bull. No. 26.

LE SUEUR, C. A. 1817. A new genus of fishes, of the order Abdominales, proposed, under the name of Catostomus; and the characters of this genus, with those of its species, indicated. J. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1(1):88-96; 102-111.

RIGGs, C. D. AND G. A. MOORE. 1963. A new record of Moxostoma macrolepidotum piso- labrum, and a range extension for Percina shumardi, in the Red River, Oklahoma and Texas. Copeia 1963(2):451-452.

ROBINS, C. R. AND E. C. RANEY. 1957. Distri- butional and nomenclatorial notes on the suckers of the genus Moxostoma. Copeia 1957 (2):154-155.

ERNEST A. LACHNER, Division of Fishes, U. S. National Museum, Washington, D. C. 20560.

NUPTIAL TUBERCLES IN CARPSUCK- ERS (CARPIODES) -Forbes and Richard- son (1909) observed nuptial tubercles on spring males of Carpiodes difformis and C. velifer, (now known, respectively, as C. velifer and C. cyprinus according to Hubbs, 1930). Fowler (1912) figured the tubercle distributions of spawning males of C. difformis and C. cutisanserinus (both these names are now synonyms of C. velifer), and C. velifer (now C. cyprinus), (Forbes and Richardson, 1909; Hubbs, 1930; Trautman, 1957). Branson (1961:362) stated, "Tubercles are apparently absent in .... Carpiodes

The distributions of tubercles on the heads of spawning males of C. carpio, C. velifer, and C. cyprinus are shown in Fig. 1. The

drawings are based on 17 tuberculate males of C. carpio, 182 to 281 mm standard length; 15 of C. velifer, 144 to 203 mm; and 8 of C. cyprinus, 210 to 290 mm.

One C. cyprinus came from the Maquo- keta River, Delaware County, Iowa, and another from the Skunk River, Story County, Iowa. All other specimens were from the

BERTIN, L. AND R. ESTEVE. 1948. Catalogue des types de poissons du Museum National d'His- toire Naturelle. Bull. Mus. Nat. Hist. Nat. 4:1-117.

CUVIER, G. AND A. VALENCIENNES. 1844. His- toire naturelle des poissons. Vol. 17. Bertrand, Paris.

GUNTHER, A. C. L. G. 1868. Catalogue of the Physostomi. Catalogue of the fishes in the British Museum. Vol. 7. Taylor and Francis, London.

HUBBS, C. L. 1930. Materials for a revision of the catostomid fishes of eastern North Amer- ica. Misc. Pub. Mus. Zool., Univ. Mich. No. 20, 47 pp.

AND K. F. LAGLER. 1958. Fishes of the Great Lakes region. Rev. ed. Cranbrook Inst. Sci., Bull. No. 26.

LE SUEUR, C. A. 1817. A new genus of fishes, of the order Abdominales, proposed, under the name of Catostomus; and the characters of this genus, with those of its species, indicated. J. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1(1):88-96; 102-111.

RIGGs, C. D. AND G. A. MOORE. 1963. A new record of Moxostoma macrolepidotum piso- labrum, and a range extension for Percina shumardi, in the Red River, Oklahoma and Texas. Copeia 1963(2):451-452.

ROBINS, C. R. AND E. C. RANEY. 1957. Distri- butional and nomenclatorial notes on the suckers of the genus Moxostoma. Copeia 1957 (2):154-155.

ERNEST A. LACHNER, Division of Fishes, U. S. National Museum, Washington, D. C. 20560.

NUPTIAL TUBERCLES IN CARPSUCK- ERS (CARPIODES) -Forbes and Richard- son (1909) observed nuptial tubercles on spring males of Carpiodes difformis and C. velifer, (now known, respectively, as C. velifer and C. cyprinus according to Hubbs, 1930). Fowler (1912) figured the tubercle distributions of spawning males of C. difformis and C. cutisanserinus (both these names are now synonyms of C. velifer), and C. velifer (now C. cyprinus), (Forbes and Richardson, 1909; Hubbs, 1930; Trautman, 1957). Branson (1961:362) stated, "Tubercles are apparently absent in .... Carpiodes

The distributions of tubercles on the heads of spawning males of C. carpio, C. velifer, and C. cyprinus are shown in Fig. 1. The

drawings are based on 17 tuberculate males of C. carpio, 182 to 281 mm standard length; 15 of C. velifer, 144 to 203 mm; and 8 of C. cyprinus, 210 to 290 mm.

One C. cyprinus came from the Maquo- keta River, Delaware County, Iowa, and another from the Skunk River, Story County, Iowa. All other specimens were from the

A A

B B

C Fig. 1. Nuptial tubercle distributions as seen

in side, ventral, and dorsal views of the heads of (A) Carpiodes velifer, (B) C. cyprinus, and (C) C. carpio.

Des Moines River, Boone County, Iowa. The specimens are deposited in the Iowa State University Museum (ISUM 1840).

In addition to the tubercles on the head, males of C. velifer have tubercles on most of the scales, and in rows on the rays and on the membrane between the rays of all the fins; males of C. cyprinus bear tubercles on the first dorsal ray and, at least, the first eight to nine pectoral rays and first two

pelvic rays; and males of C. carpio may bear tubercles on the dorsal ridge anterior to the dorsal fin, and on the first dorsal, anal, pectoral, and pelvic fin rays. The tubercles of C. carpio are small and easily overlooked.

Tuberculate carpsuckers of all three species were available in the Des Moines River,

primarily from 24 May to 7 July in 1965 and 1966. The peak tubercle development of C. cyprinus appeared to occur from one to two weeks earlier than that of C. velifer in the Des Moines River in 1966. I have observed tuberculate adults of C. cyprinus as

C Fig. 1. Nuptial tubercle distributions as seen

in side, ventral, and dorsal views of the heads of (A) Carpiodes velifer, (B) C. cyprinus, and (C) C. carpio.

Des Moines River, Boone County, Iowa. The specimens are deposited in the Iowa State University Museum (ISUM 1840).

In addition to the tubercles on the head, males of C. velifer have tubercles on most of the scales, and in rows on the rays and on the membrane between the rays of all the fins; males of C. cyprinus bear tubercles on the first dorsal ray and, at least, the first eight to nine pectoral rays and first two

pelvic rays; and males of C. carpio may bear tubercles on the dorsal ridge anterior to the dorsal fin, and on the first dorsal, anal, pectoral, and pelvic fin rays. The tubercles of C. carpio are small and easily overlooked.

Tuberculate carpsuckers of all three species were available in the Des Moines River,

primarily from 24 May to 7 July in 1965 and 1966. The peak tubercle development of C. cyprinus appeared to occur from one to two weeks earlier than that of C. velifer in the Des Moines River in 1966. I have observed tuberculate adults of C. cyprinus as

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COPEIA, 1967, NO. 2 COPEIA, 1967, NO. 2

early as 7 May in 1965, in the Maquoketa River and in Plum Creek in Delaware County, Iowa. Water temperatures and levels seem important in regulating spawning of, and consequent tubercle development in, Carpiodes species.

Females of Carpiodes with well developed ovaries taken during the period of male tubercle development were apparently not tuberculate.

Fowler's (1912) drawing of the tubercle distribution of C. cutisanserinus agrees fairly well with my observations of C. velifer, al- though Fowler did not depict tubercles on the fins or on the body other than on the dorsal ridge. Fowler's drawing of C. difformis (=velifer) likely represents a male with only partially developed tubercles. The tubercle distribution on Fowler's C. velifer does not agree with my observations on C. cyprinus, and it seems most likely that he depicted still another specimen of the present C. velifer, but his drawing does not allow identification of the species.

Nuptial tubercle patterns are apparently species specific in Carpiodes. Knowledge of the tubercle distribution on the plains carp- sucker form of C. cyprinus (see Bailey and Allum, 1962) might clarify more fully the status of that fish. The tubercle patterns possibly indicate isolating mechanisms in the spawning behavior of these fishes.

This is Journal Paper No. J-5504 of the Iowa Agricultural and Home Economics Experiment Station, Ames, Iowa. Project No. 1373, Iowa Coop. Fishery Unit sponsored by the Iowa State Cons. Comm., Iowa State Univ. Sci. and Tech., and Bur. Sport Fish. Wildl., U. S. Department of Interior. The author was also supported in part by a National Defense Education Fellowship.

LITERATURE CITED

BAILEY, R. M. AND M. O. ALLUM. 1962. Fishes of South Dakota. Misc. Pub. Mus. Zool., Univ. Mich. No. 119, 131 pp.

BRANSON, B. A. 1961. Observations on the distribution of nuptial tubercles in some catostomid fishes. Trans. Kans. Acad. Sci. 64:360- 372.

FORBES, S. A. AND R. E. RICHARDSON. 1909. The fishes of Illinois. Ill. Nat. Hist. Surv. 3:1-357.

FOWLER, H. W. 1912. Some features of orna- mentation in fresh-water fishes. Am. Nat. 46: 470-476.

HUBBS, C. L. 1930. Materials for a revision of the catostomid fishes of eastern North America. Misc. Pub. Mus. Zool., Univ. Mich. No. 20, 47 pp.

early as 7 May in 1965, in the Maquoketa River and in Plum Creek in Delaware County, Iowa. Water temperatures and levels seem important in regulating spawning of, and consequent tubercle development in, Carpiodes species.

Females of Carpiodes with well developed ovaries taken during the period of male tubercle development were apparently not tuberculate.

Fowler's (1912) drawing of the tubercle distribution of C. cutisanserinus agrees fairly well with my observations of C. velifer, al- though Fowler did not depict tubercles on the fins or on the body other than on the dorsal ridge. Fowler's drawing of C. difformis (=velifer) likely represents a male with only partially developed tubercles. The tubercle distribution on Fowler's C. velifer does not agree with my observations on C. cyprinus, and it seems most likely that he depicted still another specimen of the present C. velifer, but his drawing does not allow identification of the species.

Nuptial tubercle patterns are apparently species specific in Carpiodes. Knowledge of the tubercle distribution on the plains carp- sucker form of C. cyprinus (see Bailey and Allum, 1962) might clarify more fully the status of that fish. The tubercle patterns possibly indicate isolating mechanisms in the spawning behavior of these fishes.

This is Journal Paper No. J-5504 of the Iowa Agricultural and Home Economics Experiment Station, Ames, Iowa. Project No. 1373, Iowa Coop. Fishery Unit sponsored by the Iowa State Cons. Comm., Iowa State Univ. Sci. and Tech., and Bur. Sport Fish. Wildl., U. S. Department of Interior. The author was also supported in part by a National Defense Education Fellowship.

LITERATURE CITED

BAILEY, R. M. AND M. O. ALLUM. 1962. Fishes of South Dakota. Misc. Pub. Mus. Zool., Univ. Mich. No. 119, 131 pp.

BRANSON, B. A. 1961. Observations on the distribution of nuptial tubercles in some catostomid fishes. Trans. Kans. Acad. Sci. 64:360- 372.

FORBES, S. A. AND R. E. RICHARDSON. 1909. The fishes of Illinois. Ill. Nat. Hist. Surv. 3:1-357.

FOWLER, H. W. 1912. Some features of orna- mentation in fresh-water fishes. Am. Nat. 46: 470-476.

HUBBS, C. L. 1930. Materials for a revision of the catostomid fishes of eastern North America. Misc. Pub. Mus. Zool., Univ. Mich. No. 20, 47 pp.

TRAUTMAN, M. B. 1957. The fishes of Ohio. Ohio State Univ. Press, Columbus, Ohio.

GENE R. HUNTSMAN, Iowa Cooperative Fish-

ery Unit, Department of Zoology and En- tomology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa. Present address: Institute of Marine Science, University of Miami, Miami, Florida 33149.

TENTACULUS WALTAIRIENSIS RAO AND DUTT, 1965, A JUNIOR SYNONYM OF PHOLIOIDES THOMASENI NIELSEN 1960 (PISCES:HALIOPHIDAE). - Nielsen (1960) described the genus Pholioides to ac- commodate P. thomaseni, a new blennioid fish he based on five specimens from rock pools near Karachi, Pakistan. This species, as he remarked, "is the first record of a rep- resentative of the Haliophidae from between the Red Sea and the Philippines." Members of the family, however, have been recorded from Arsu Island, northwest of Australia, and from the east coasts of Africa and Mada- gascar.

Recently Rao and Dutt (1965) described a new genus and species of Haliophidae, Ten- taculus waltairiensis, based on one specimen from Waltair, Andhra Pradesh, India and four specimens from Okha, Gujerat, India, collected from rock pools. T. waltairiensis is identical with Pholioides thomaseni and evi- dently the authors were not aware of the earlier description of the fish by Nielsen

(1960). According to the rule of priority, Tentaculus becomes a junior synonym of Pholioides and T. waltairiensis becomes a

junior synonym of P. thomaseni. Between 1962-1964, I was able to collect

21 specimens of Pholioides thomaseni from Rupan Coast (ten miles south of Okha), Pirotan Island (Gulf of Kutch), and Kiew Point (three miles from Okha), along with several other blennioid fishes, a brief report of which will be published elsewhere. A specimen of P. thomaseni was sent in 1964 to the U. S. National Museum (No. 198209) at the request of Dr. Victor G. Springer.

Nielsen (op. cit.), while placing Pholioides in the family Haliophidae, to which it is most closely related, stated that he was doing so with some hesitation because Pholioides differs from the other members of the family in the absence of teeth on the vomer. He felt that this difference might indicate that Phol- ioides represented a separate family. Fur- ther, P. thomaseni and Haliophis malayanus

TRAUTMAN, M. B. 1957. The fishes of Ohio. Ohio State Univ. Press, Columbus, Ohio.

GENE R. HUNTSMAN, Iowa Cooperative Fish-

ery Unit, Department of Zoology and En- tomology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa. Present address: Institute of Marine Science, University of Miami, Miami, Florida 33149.

TENTACULUS WALTAIRIENSIS RAO AND DUTT, 1965, A JUNIOR SYNONYM OF PHOLIOIDES THOMASENI NIELSEN 1960 (PISCES:HALIOPHIDAE). - Nielsen (1960) described the genus Pholioides to ac- commodate P. thomaseni, a new blennioid fish he based on five specimens from rock pools near Karachi, Pakistan. This species, as he remarked, "is the first record of a rep- resentative of the Haliophidae from between the Red Sea and the Philippines." Members of the family, however, have been recorded from Arsu Island, northwest of Australia, and from the east coasts of Africa and Mada- gascar.

Recently Rao and Dutt (1965) described a new genus and species of Haliophidae, Ten- taculus waltairiensis, based on one specimen from Waltair, Andhra Pradesh, India and four specimens from Okha, Gujerat, India, collected from rock pools. T. waltairiensis is identical with Pholioides thomaseni and evi- dently the authors were not aware of the earlier description of the fish by Nielsen

(1960). According to the rule of priority, Tentaculus becomes a junior synonym of Pholioides and T. waltairiensis becomes a

junior synonym of P. thomaseni. Between 1962-1964, I was able to collect

21 specimens of Pholioides thomaseni from Rupan Coast (ten miles south of Okha), Pirotan Island (Gulf of Kutch), and Kiew Point (three miles from Okha), along with several other blennioid fishes, a brief report of which will be published elsewhere. A specimen of P. thomaseni was sent in 1964 to the U. S. National Museum (No. 198209) at the request of Dr. Victor G. Springer.

Nielsen (op. cit.), while placing Pholioides in the family Haliophidae, to which it is most closely related, stated that he was doing so with some hesitation because Pholioides differs from the other members of the family in the absence of teeth on the vomer. He felt that this difference might indicate that Phol- ioides represented a separate family. Fur- ther, P. thomaseni and Haliophis malayanus

458 458



nuptial tubercles in carpsuckers (carpiodes)

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